Electric program-clock.



No. 816,938. PATENTED APR. 3, 1906. A. L. RUNELL.

ELECTRIC PROGRAM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAHJO, 1905.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES: gig ZZ j 9 65 [Z6 02 W BY ATTORNE Y6 PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

A. L. RONELL.

ELECTRIC PROGRAM CLOCK.-

APPLIGATION FILED MARIO, 1905.

3 SEEBTS-SHEET 2 a e n M M 1 fl W WIN/8858:

ATTORNE Y PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

A. L. RONELL. ELECTRIC PROGRAM CLOCK.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 10, 1905.

IIVVE/VTOR fiugzwZZLjZaTwZL ATTORNEYS W/T/VESSES:

AUGUST LEONARD RONELL, OF FOREST CITY, IOWA.

ELECTRIC PROGRAM-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed March 10. 1905. Serial NO. 249,389.

To a. 1.1:71/0722/ it may concern.-

Be it known. that I, AUeUsT LEONARD RoNELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Forest City, in the county of Winnebago andState of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Electric Program-Clock,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electric programclocks suitable for use ininstitutions of learning, factories, public offices, and in allrelations where it may be desired to periodically actuate a number ofalarms located in different parts of abuilding or buildings.

The present invention constitutes an addition to another invention.described in my Ilmtters Patent No. 737,965, dated Septemher 1, 1903,for a time controlled electric alarm.

My present invention has quite a number of separate objects, among whichare the following: first, to economize battery power," second, toprovide a system in which any de sired timing-clock may be employed bymaking in it comparatively trivial changes;

'hird, to readily prevent certain alarms frombeing actuated. temporarilywithout interfering with other alarms, and, fourth, to provide certainconstructional details hereinaftcr described and tending to promoteeflicioncy, simplicity, and reliability in the action of the alarm.

liefercmce is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the casing, showing most of theworking parts and also showing diagrammatically the wiring of thesystem. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the bridgeconnection for certain contact members and which is h ereinafter moreparticularly described. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the contactcommutator land its accompanying parts. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thecam-wheel 26, carrying one or more contact-cams 28. Fig. 5 is afragmentary side elevation of one of the contact-brushes for thetime-wheel 10. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of a general formof apparatus differing from that shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 is anenlarged sectional detail showing a contact-disk of the kind used inconnection with the circuits shown in Fig. 6, this contact differingfrom that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevation of themotor mechanism B shown in the lower right-hand portion of Fig. 1.

In the system shown in Fig. 1 it is the intention to operate severaldistinct programs at the same time, while in that shown in Fig. 6 it isintended to operate automatically a different program each day in theschool week. In other words, in Fig. 1 any one, two, three, or morealarms may be sounded, the others remaining silent, while in Fig. 6 allof the alarms are sounded in rapid succession in accordance with asingle uniform. time-table differing upon different days of the week.While in both Fig. 1 and F ig. 6 I show single bells, I do not limitmyself to this arrangement, for obviously any number of bells may besubstituted for any single bell shown in either figure.

Briefly summarized, the system comprises a time-wheel A a, motormechanism B b for making and breaking contact and for me ving said timewheel step by step, auxiliary switches C c for throwing the alarmmechanism out of action upon certain days of the week, a timing-clock D(Z for automatically exercising supervisory control over the entiresystem, and the alarms E 6, consisting, preferably, of bells located indifferent parts of a building.

Mounted centrally within a casing 7 is a revoluble shaft 8, upon whichis mounted a spider 9, bounded by an annular disk 10, the spider anddisk together constituting a member which I term a time-wheel. Thismember is provided with ordinals 11, representing the twelve hours ofthe day, and is further provided with ratchetteeth 12, whereby it may berotated. The time-wheel is further provided with a pin 10 projectingslightly below its under surface, and with a plurality of separatecircles 13,14, 15, 16, and 17, made up of holes, the holes in eachcircle being spaced apart a distance commensurate with the distancebetween two consecutive teeth 12. A number of contact-screws 18 19 maybe secured to the time-wheel, being inserted within appropriate holes inthe circles mentioned. A slidably-mounted pawl 20 is pivotally connectedwith a pitman 21, actuated by a pitman wheel 22, which is rigidlymounted upon a revoluble shaft This shaft is j ournaled in framework 24,and mounted rigidly upon it are cam-disks 26, connected together by ametallic bridge 27. Each cam-disk 25 26 carries one or more contact-cams23 29, each cam being provided with slot 23, through which passes anadjustable screw 28 for enabling the cam to be adjusted toward or fromthe shaft 23, as will be understood from Fig. 4. By virtue of thisadjustment the outer end of the cam can be made to project a greater orlesser distance beyond the circumference of the cam-disk. The cams 23 29are in metallic communication with the metallic bridge 27, beingconnected thereto by metallic screws 30 31.

An electromagnet 32 is provided with a bipolar armature 33, mountedrigidly upon a rocking shaft 34. A crank is likewise rigidly mountedupon this shaft and is free to move angularly when the latter is rocked.A ratchet-wheel 36 is disposed adjacent to the crank and is mountedrigidly upon the shaft 34 in such position as to engage a pawl 37,carried by a gear-wheel 38. This gearwheel 33 is loose upon the shaft34. \Vhen the shaft 34 is rocked, the ratchetwheel 36 is also rocked,and at each forward movement that is, each movement in a clockwisedirection, as seen in Fig. 1the ratchet-wheel 36 carries the pawl 37around a slight distance. The pawl 37 therefore moves step by steparound the rocking shaft 34 considered as a center, and the wheel 38therefore rotates step by step. It occupies this position when at rest.When the armature is attracted by the magnet 32, it rocks in a verticalposition and merely winds the spring 34 without directly affecting anypart of the gearing. hen, however, the magnet is deenergized, itreleases the armature, and consequentlyre leases the shaft 34, and thelatter being actuated by the spring 34 transmits motion from the wheel38 through a train of gearing including wheels 39, 40, 41, (the latterwheel being shown in Fig. 2,) and 42 to a scapewheel 43 and thence to anescapement 44. Therefore the wheel 43 when turned communicates rotationto the shaft 23, upon which it is rigidly mounted. A revolublecontact-wheel 45 of metal (see Fig. 3) is provided with acircumferential sleeve 45 of insulating material, the latter being cutaway at 46, so as to form a notch at which the outer surface of themetallic wheel is exposed. A thrust-rod 47 is pivoted upon the outer endof the crank-arm 35 and loosely engages a guide 48 on the frame 24. Theperiodical rocking of the crank-arm 35 causes the thrustrod 47 to moveupwardly and engage a contact-hook 49, so as to raise the same out ofthe notch 46, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 3.

A battery 50 is common to the entire system. From this battery a wire 51connects with a wire 52, and the latter leads to a bindingpost 53 uponthe timing-clock D. From this binding-post a wire 54 leads to a brush55, which is in electrical communication with l This minl theminute-hand 56 of the clock.

ute-hand carries a sliding contact-brush 57. the latter being adapted tomake perimlical engagement with a number of contact members 5S, spacedapart at intervals represent ing five minutes each, as will beunderstood from'the lower portion of F 1. T lzG contact members 53 arein electrical communication with each other and with a bindingpost 59.The latter is connected by a wire 60 with a binding-post 61 upon thecasing 7. From the binding-post last mentioned a wire 62 leads to thecontact-hook 49.

The framework 24 of the motor mechanism B is connected by a wire 63 withthe electromagnet 32, the latter being connected by a wire 64 with aunction 65 from the wire 66, which leads to a binding-post 67. From thisbinding-post a wire 68 leads to the battery 50. A11 auxiliary switch 69,provided with a spring-pawl 69, is mounted at a point adjacent to therim of the timing-wheel and is pro vided with a brush 70, connected withthe wire 66 and properly insulated. An annulus 71 of insulating materialis mounted upon a tooth ed wheel 72 and is provided with removablescrews 7 3, which are in communication by means of wires 74 with a shaft75, this shaft and the toothed wheel 72 being rigidly connected togetherand being revoluble. A brush 76 engages the shaft and is connected by awire 77 with another brush 7 3, which engages the revoluble shaft 3,carrying the timewheel 10. A standard 79 is provided at its upper endwith a series of contact- ,brushes S0 81 and 32 any number beingemployed. These brushes are insulated from each other and from thestandard 79 by means of a plate 83 of insulating material. The underside of each brush is ')rovided with a plate 84 of insulating material,as indicated in Fig. 5. The standard 79 is movably connected with thecasing 7 by means of a hinge 85, whereby the standard 79 can beinclined, or, in other words, its top may be moved away from thetime-wheel, so as to prevent the possibility of electrical communicationwith it. This arrangement also permits ready accessibility to differentparts of the timewheel, and this is necessary, as, for instance, when itis desirable to place one or more contact-screws 13 19 in the lower partof the time-wheel and for removing them from tlie frame.

A number of alarms are shown at E and preferably consist of bells S6,S7, and 38, any number of which may be employed. It will be understood,of course, that while the drawing is shown diagrammatically these alarmsmay be distributed over dill'erent parts of a building or even locatedin different buildings. It will also be understood that while Ipreferably use bells I am not limited thereto, as I may employ anyequivalent devices for attracting attention. The several alarms areconnected in parallel witheach revolution.

in a clockwise direction to an extent repre. senting a small fraction ofa revolution comgear- 105which are provided for the cam-disk 26, thesebrushes being duplicated for the cam-disk 25, the several duplicatebrushes, such as 105 being connected, respectively, with thebinding-posts 95, 96, and 97. Each brush engaging the cam 26 thus coactswith a similar brush engaging the cam, disk 25. The manner of doing thisis indicated in Fig. 2, where is shown the connection between the topbrushes 105 and 105, the parts being adapted. to communicate with eachother through the contact members 28 29 and the bridge 27. As aboveexplained, the armature normally occupies a position slightly displacedfrom the vertical, in which position it is held by the spring 34, sothat when the shaft 34 is rocked in a contra-clockwise direction,according to the view shown in Fig. 1, the spring is slightly wound andthe arma ture becomes vertical, yet the instant the ar-,

mature is free it rocks back into position in-, dicated, carrying withit in itsrotation the shaft 34. The parts being in position as indicatcdin Fig. 1 and the timing-clock D being in. motion, the minute-hand 56 ofcourse turns in the usual manner. The contactbrush 57 thereforeperiodically touches the respective contact members 58, and each time ittouches one of these contact members a motor-circuit is completed, asfollows: battcry 50, wire 51, wire 52, binding-post, 53, wire 54, brush55, minute-hand 56, contact members 57 53, binding-post 59, wire 60,

binding-post 61, wire 62, hook 49, contact-,

disk 45, (see Fig. 3,) shaft 23, framework 24, wire 63, (see Fig. 1,)electromagnet 32, wire 64, junction 65, wire 66, binding-post 67, andwire 68 back to battery 50. This circuit momentarily energizes theelectromagnet 32 and causes the armature 33 to assume its verticalposition, as above described. In doing this it causes the shaft 34 torockand raise the crank-arm 35, thus causing the thrust-rod 47 to liftthe hook 49 out of the,

notch 46. This lifting of the hook 49 opens the circuit above traced andleaves the shaft,

34 and spring 34 free to move thearmature 33 back into its normalposition, so that the ratchet-wheel 36 by engaging the pawl 37 carriesthe wheel 38 a step forward in its The wheel 38 being thus turnednumicates rotation to the train of wheels 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43, thuscausingthe shaft 23 to make a complete revolution,

which is stoppedby the brush 49, thereby engaging the notch 46. Acomplete revolution of the shaft 23, therefore,represents the angulardisplacement of the armature 33 nec essary to restore the latter to itsnormal position. The rotation of the shaft 23 leaves the brush 49 in thenotch 46, thus restoring this part of the circuit; but in the meanwhilethe hand 56 has moved in such position that the contact member 57 nolonger engages one of the contact members 58 in the timing-clock. Themotor-circuit is therefore normally open and .is. closed at five minuteintervals, and eachtime it, is closed the shaft 23 makes one completeturn. Each of these turns causes the pawl 20. to be drawn to the right,as seen in Fig 1, and as the pawl successively engages the teeth 12 ofthe time-wheel the latter is at the expiration of each successive periodof five minutesmoved a step in the direction indicated. by; the arrow inFig. 1 that is, a distance representing the distance apart of anytwoconsecutive teeth 12.

When one of the contactbrushes 30, 81, and .82 is engaged by one ofthecontact members 13 19, electric communication is made between thetime-wheel 10 and the particular brush affected. The insulatingplates 84(shown. more particularly in Fig. prevent premature and accidentalconnection between the brush and the time-wheel, as will be understoodfrom Fig. 5.

The frame of the auxiliary switch (shown at C in Fig..1).is for thepurpose of leaving the circuits open upon certain days of the week-forinstance, on Saturdays and Sundays. This is done by regulating thenumber of contaotescrews 73 with which the annulus 71 is provided. Therotation of the time-wheel causes the pin to engage oneof theteeth 72ofthe auxiliary switch, so as to move one ,of thecontact-screws 73 adistance representing one-fourteenth of a revolution. -.By this ,meansifseven of the contactscrews Rare-employed and spaced equidistant the wire77 will always be in metallic communication-with the brush during theday-time, but not at night. If, however, one or more of thecontact-screws 73 are remove/(l as, for instance, those representingSaturday and Sundayit is obvious that the annulus 71 is, so far as thosedays are concerned, a mere blank and that upon .those particular daysthere is no electrical communication betweenthe brush 70 and the wire77, so that upon the daysof the week thus affected the brushes30, 81,and 82 in engaging their ap propriate contactmembers, such as 13 19, areunable tosound any of the alarms E. Suppose ,now that the brush 70engages one of the contact-screws 73, as indicated at the left inFig. 1,and. that the timing-clock D has just closed the motorcircuit abovetraced, causing the time-wheel to be rotated a distance representing thewidth of one of IIO the teeth 12, and that one of the contactbrushes 80,81, and 82say, for instance, the one numbered 80is engaged electricallyby contact member 18. The following circuit is thereupon completed:battery 50, wire 68, binding-post 67, wire 66, brush 70, one of theremovable contact-screws 73, shaft 75, brush 76, wire 77, brush 78,shaft 8, time-wheel 10, one or more of the contact members 18 19, one ormore of the brushes 80, 81, and 82, wires 98, 99, and 100, one or moreof the brushes 101, 102, and 103, thence through the bridge 27 to thecorresponding brushes upon the opposite side thereof, thence throughwires 92, 93, and 94 to the bells 86, 87, and 88, and thence by wire 51back to the battery. It will be understood, how ever, that this circuitis only completed while the cam-disks 25 26 are in motion, and when theearns 28 29 are in actual engagement with the brushes 101, 102, 103,104, and 105 each set of these brushes as have circuits otherwisecomplete the circuit by virtue of the engagement of the contact members18 1 9 with the proper brushes 80 81 82, &c. While the bells 86,87, and88 are sounded at practically the same instant, they are in realitysounded in a particular consecutive order and are hence energized one ata time, provided there be only one in each circuit. This being so, thebattery power may be just sufficient to ring a single bell. By adjustingthe cam 28 toward or from the shaft 23 the operation of the ringing ofthe bells is apportioned at will.

In the respect last mentioned my present invention does not differmaterially from that disclosed in my patent to which reference is madeabove. Of course inasmuch as the rotation of the disks 25 26 is stoppedmechanically by the hook 49 the disks 25 26 need not revolve during theentire period of five minutes, and their movement can be shortened byproperly proportioning the length of the pendulum in the motormechanism.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the time-wheel and its connections are shownat a, an auxiliary switch of a form differing from that designated C isshown at c, and a slightly-difierent form of motor mechanism at d. Inthe auxiliary switch 0 a toothed disk 7 2 is revolubly mounted and heldagainst reverse rotation by a pawl 69 Said disk is provided with a brush7 0, which periodically engages a number of contact members 7 3 The disk7 2 is turned bybeing engaged by the pin 10. The several contact members73 are connected by as many wires 98 99, and 100 with appropriatecontact-brushes 80, 81 and 82, and these contact-brushes are energizedas above described. The contactbrush 78 is connected by a wire 106 witha brush 107, which engages a metallic ring 108, which is provided withan adjustable cam 109 and is mounted upon a revoluble disk 110 ofinsulating material. This disk corresponds to the disks 25 26, (shomi inFig. 2,) the rest of the motor mechanism re maining unchanged. The cam109 successively engages a number of brushes 111, 112, and 113,connected, respectively, with a series of wires such as 11 1, 115', and116, leading in turn to a series 6 of bells 117, 118, and 119. The bellsare connected in parallel with each other with respect to the wire 121,which runs from the timing-clock (Z, preferably of the constructionabove described, to the battery 122. A wire 123 is connected with thetime-wheel 10, as above described and as indicated diagrammatically inFig. 6. A wire 121 connects the timing-clock d with the contact-hook 49,and another wire 121 connects the battery 122 with the motormagnet 32.The motor-circuit in Fig. 6 being completed by the timing-clock (l is asfollows: battery 122, wire 121 magnet 32, framework 24, contact-hook 49,wire 121, timing-clock (Z, back to battery 122. This starts up the motormechanism, as above described, and causes the cam 109 to successivelyengage all of the brushes 111, 112, and

113 and complete any alarm-circuit represented by one of these brushes,as may be otherwise completefor instance, battery 122, wire 123,time-wheel 10, brush 80, wire 98, switch 0, wire 106, brush 107, ring108, cam 109, all of the brushes 111 112 113, all of the wires 11 1 115116 in rapid succession, bells 117 118 119, and wire 121, back tobattery 122.

One of the peculiar advantages of the system shown in Fig. 6 is that nogreater battery voltage is necessary for several bells than for a singlebell, and consequently a single battery of suitable power may operatequite a number of bells. The battery power is conserved by the fact thatthe switch C, being tripped periodically by the tripping-pin 10*, leavesthe circuit alternately open and closed at in tervals of twelve hours.The switch not only conserves the battery power by periodically openingthe circuit, but also prevents the alarms from being sounded when theyare not wanted and also the operation is entirely automatic.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination of timecontrolled mechanism,contacts to be opened and closed thereby, electric motor mechanism to beenergized and deenergized by the opening and closing of said contacts,said motor mechanism being provided with a rcvoluble shaft, disks ofinsulating material mounted upon said shaft and revoluble therewith,contact members mounted upon said disks, a metallic bridge connecting acontact member of one disk with a contact member of another disk so asto establish electrical connection between member is rotated, means fortemporarily restraining said revoluble member, mechanism connected withsaid armature for effecting the release of said revoluble member atpredetermined intervals, and time-controlled electric mechanism foractuating said motor mechanism at said predetermined intervals.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST LEONARD RONELL.

Witnesses:

I. 0. LEE, GEO. R. PETERSON.

